| I always wondered: Why didn't Joan Diener get a Tony nomination for 'Man of La Mancha'? | |
| Last Edit: WaymanWong 11:06 pm EDT 08/05/17 | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 10:53 pm EDT 08/05/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Man of La Mancha - scoot1er 10:06 pm EDT 08/05/17 | |
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| Diener's Wikipedia: ''The critics were unanimous in praising her portrayal, but she inexplicably was overlooked by the Tony nominations committee.'' Did she simply get edged out by bigger stars? Angela Lansbury won Best Actress in a Musical for ''Mame.'' Lansbury beat out Barbara Harris (''On a Clear Day''), Julie Harris (''Skyscraper'') and Gwen Verdon (''Sweet Charity''). Diener was above the title, but if the Tonys could've bumped her to Featured Actress, would she have won over Bea Arthur in ''Mame''? Clearly, Aldonza was her signature role. She would revive it in 1972, and even in 1992 (at age 62), filled in for a collapsed Sheena Easton in Act II. Diener also appeared in two flops, ''Cry for Us All'' (1970) and ''Home Sweet Homer'' (1975). She died in 2006, but seldom seemed to get her due. In ''Kismet'' and ''La Mancha,'' her leading man won the Tony, but she didn't get any similar award. And when those shows became movies, her most famous stage roles - Lalume and Aldonza - went to Dolores Gray and Sophia Loren. And Diener never had any film career. She deserved better. (Dolores Gray apparently beat Diener in ''Kismet.'' Gray won Best Actress in 1954 for ''Carnival in Flanders,'' which ran for only 6 performances!) |
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